THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 6

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Comments—Reflections “The man who persistently appeals to the best side of his fellows is rate,y disappointed.” —Socrates. » * * “In years to come men will be able to say that while the battle of Britain was at its peak, our compatriots did not abdicate their privilege of free thinking and of putting their thoughts iu writing and in speech. While the unhallowed wings of the Nazis swept over our skies, the printing presses still poured out the opinion of free men and gave shape to our dreams of the future. That will be uot the least of the claims of this generation to remembrance iu the story of man. It is also one of the most certain assurances of the principle of undying vitality that exists in a democratic society.”—The “Star,” London. » » * “On April 23rd the Germans alleged that ou the previous day—on that one jay—they had sunk two British troopships, set one on fire, badly damaged two warships, and sunk one destroyer, two transports, one submarine, and other smaller vessels —a total of ten units of the British fleet. They also alleged that iu the fortnight from April 10 last they had sunk seven battleships, one aircraft carrier, thirteen cruisers, fifteen destroyers, fourteen submarines, eleven transport vessels —making altogether sixty-one units of the British Fleet—whereas, in truth, the total British losses from the outbreak of war to that date were only eighteen fighting units. That, if stated properly, with adequate details, is almost sufficient to show that one need never pay attention to German statements.”—Viscount Maugham, speaking in the House of Lords.

“In my opinion, two factors are responsible for the Italian defeat in Greece: the military unprepareduess of Italy and the lack of cohesion between Rome and Berlin regarding the beginning as well as the conduct of this war. Both causes derive from the fear Mussolini has, not without reason, of the ever-growing preponderance of his German partner. Mussolini, who considers himself not only the heir of Caesar, Ijjit also the spiritual father of all Fascist movements, will never yield with docility to orders from Berlin. It seems that we are approaching a denouement in Italo-German relations, and Mussolini will in the near future find himself confronted by the choice either of a complete surrender to a German military and diplomatic protectorate or of being replaced. Knowing the German methods, there is reason to believe that Hitler, instead of waiting for a revolution In Italy, will rather perform this revolution himself. The German Gestapo has been established for a long time in Italy and most of the Italian centres of influence depend in reality on Berlin.”—Prince Radziwill, in the “New York Times.”

“AU reports coining out of Germany agree that deep gloom has taken possession of the population. The feeling of hopelessness, bordering in many instances on dispair, seems to exceed the dark pesshnissim that I observed all over Germany last winter. With many people the longing for an alternative to Hitler is taking on a character almost religious. Nevertheless — let there be no doubt—the small and hard group of Nazis who govern the German people is still confident of total victory. As long as this confidence remains unshaken, an overthrow of the Hitler regime by the more responsible elements is very unlikely. According to more reliable reports, the Nazi strategy this winter is to weaken British resistance through the blockade, through peace talks and sporadic mass bombings. Toward the end of the winter the Nazi air force will be reorganized and strengthened to such an extent that an out-and-out aerial offensive against the British Isles can be undertaken. If this succeeded, an invasion, in the eyes of the Nazi strategists, would amount only to a mopping-up operation that would immediately follow the air Blitzkrieg.”—From a letter in the “New York Times” by a German correspondent whose credit is vouched for.

“.Forty American flyers are making regular mass deliveries of American bombers to England witbout molestation from Germans, taking the ships across the icy North Atlantic at high altitude in approximately 10 hours, oue of the pilots, George R. Hutchinson, has disclosed. He asserted that regular deliveries had been made since early November and that none of the pilots had encountered German opposition. Seven high-speed Lockheed Hudson bombers were delivered in the first flight. His own ship made the fastest time‘for the trip—eigh-t hours aud fifty minutes from land to laud and ten hours from the take-off in

North America to the landing in Britain. The ’planes take <>IT from an airport in ‘.Britisli North America, each carrying a pilot, a co-pilot and a radio operator. About 60 pilots and 30 iadio operators, including zYmericaus, Canadians and Britons, were participating. On the first flight the seven bombers started away in formation, led by a British officer, but after five and a half hours’ bad weather and severe icing conditions forced them to separate. Though scattered the rest of the way, all of the ’planes landed within an hour at a designated British airport. Since then mass deliveries have been made on regular schedule. The crews are paid monthly salaries and make about one flight a mouth. They return by boat, with a roundtrill'thus requiring about two weeks.” Xew York “Herald Tribune.’’ To Brother Jonathan. Tliev hate us, Brother Jonathan, those tyrants; -they detest The island sous of liberty, and freemen of the West; It angers them that we survive their savage will to stem; A sign of hope unto their slaves —a sign of fear to them. i Stand with me, Brother Jonathan, if ever need should be; Still be it ours to show the world that nations can be free; Not as almost each people in sad Europe now appears, Ruled with a despot’s iron rod, a race of mutineers.

—-From “Lines to Brother Jonathan,” “Bunch,” 1851.